3rd Grade

Our goal Is to provide a welcoming and loving environment in which young children will thrive and grow. In the classrooms we provide experiences, individual and group, which promote positive self-esteem, creativity, language development, fine and gross motor skills and physical fitness. In addition, we plan activities to foster environmental awareness, social skills and development of faith in our loving God and wonder at his creation.

READING AND WRITING

A comprehensive theme-based program integrating reading, vocabulary, spelling, and writing. This program continues to build strong reading strategies through whole group and small group learning:

• Focuses on building reading skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
• Weekly theme based units with concept discussion, vocabulary, word analysis, skill/strategy building, research and inquiry, spelling, writing, and assessment.
• Whole group learning and small group activities that include leveled reading and strategic intervention instruction.
• Exposure to various genres in literature.
• Writing is based on the 6 traits; focus/ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentences, and conventions. Weekly writing instruction features mini-lessons, Quick Write for Fluency, the writing process, and 21st Century Writing that incorporates the use of technology.

MATH

Students use real materials that can be manipulated and math games to develop skills Third graders experience the hands-on approach to learning about fractions, multiplication and division, and two and three dimensional shapes in geometry. The calendar is used daily to recognize dates, days of the week, special events, patterns, and monthly lessons.

SCIENCE

An inquiry based study including exploration opportunities in:

• Life Science Living things / Ecosystems
• Physical Science Matter/Forces and Energy.
• Earth and Space Science Earth and Its Resources/Weather and Space.

SOCIAL STUDIES

Regional, national, and world geography
and land forms:

• Mapping skills.
• Westward expansion.
• Our land today.
• Studying Portland history and local neighborhoods.
• Explore civics and city government.

Develop an understanding of what it means to be a Christian, explore the Catholic faith, and examine the Seven Sacraments:

• Participate in weekly Masses and community service
• Experience prayer in an individual and community environment